Syracuse, NY -- The New York National Guard, including a member from Syracuse, will travel to Fort Snelling, Minnesota, on Sunday to compete against other teams for the title of best Honor Guard in the National Guard.

Sgt. 1st Class Wayne Stone of Syracuse is a member of an eight-person Honor Guard that will compete in the national competition.

Honor Guards provide military funeral honors for veterans and serving soldiers. More than 120 members of the guard serve full or part-time with 11 Honor Guard offices across New York.

The New York Honor Guard will go up against seven other guard teams in a competition that runs Monday through Thursday. The teams represent different sections of the country.

In 2009, the New York Honor Guard performed 10,400 funerals for the state’s soldiers and veterans. These ranged from full military funerals with a 21-soldier team including a bugler, firing party and casket bearers for soldier killed in combat, to smaller three-person details for funerals of veterans.